Bloody inciteful....enjoying this one!!!
As somewhat of a rugby purist, I have to add, that I am not pleased with the current tendency of top tier rugby playing nations, choosing to adopt a culture of playing beyond the rules, not in line with the spirit and ethos of the game, rather than concentrating on the fundamentals of rugby or just simply focussing on getting the basics right!
Case in point being the 'institutionalisation' (for lack of an apt phrase) of underhanded tactics such 'stonewalling' , amongst a myriad of other questionable tactics.
I have a huge problem with the fact that coaches are intentionally coaching their charges to commit 'professional fouls', amping them up with a.... ''let's-see-what-we-can-get-away-with-today-by-playing-the-ref'' ....war-cry and when taken to task by rugby pundits, they either shrug their shoulders pleading innocence or they go the more classic route and spew the... ''it's-not-our-fault-if-we-get-away-with-it-but-the IRB's'' .....,while nonchalantly shoving their heads in a hole!!
Just pray that Alain Rolland will have the cohonas to police the breakdown areas adequately, in this afternoon's 'death-match' between the Boks and the AB's in Soweto...... between my frayed nerves and peptic ulcer, I don't think I'd survive, let alone last until the EOYT's!!!